The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has had three Māori wards for the last 12 years.

It's allowed local voters on the Māori electoral roll to elect a Māori representative on the council.

Council chair Doug Leader said there had always been public support for them and a referendum had never been needed.

He said other councils would benefit from a Māori voice at the decision-making table.

"Councillors have a much better understanding of Māori tikanaga and thought processes that Māori at an iwi level and hapū level have - in terms of dealing with environmental issues."

Whakatāne councillor Russell Orr was pleased with the referendum results.

He voted against a Māori ward because he said he did not want to impose one on his community.

That was despite Māori making up 43 percent of the Whakatāne population.

Mr Orr, however, questioned that figure.

"Define Māori for me and we'll have a conversation, no one has ever successfully done that and I think the last definition I got was anyone who feels Māori or identifies as Māori can be a Māori ... that's no basis on which to start implementing seats is it?"